Against the Ropes

Against the Ropes is a 2004 drama movie. It stars Meg Ryan and Omar Epps and was directed by Charles S. Dutton, in his motion-picture directorial debut. The story is a fictionalized account of the American boxing manager Jackie Kallen, who was the first woman to become a success in the sport. Kallen has a bit part in the film, playing a reporter, and a few lines in the scene where the press interviews the principal characters. Against the Ropes grossed less than $6 million in the US and was panned by critics, in part because of its resemblance to other boxing movies, such as the Rocky series. As with other such movies, its climax is a bout for the championship. The film was shot primarily at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio, United States and Hamilton, Ontario, Canada at the Copps Coliseum.